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Tour de France 2017

ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
in Other Football and Sports
With only two weeks to go now until the Grand Depart in Dusseldorf (Germany) I thought it would be time to open the yearly thread for fans of one of the best events in the world.

Team Sky have today released their nine man squad with Chris Froome | Geraint Thomas | Luke Rowe representing Great Britain (Ian Stannard and Peter Kennaugh miss out) - Team Dimension Data have yet to name their squad yet with Mark Cavendish (who made his return at the Tour of Slovenia) potentially missing the Tour having suffered with Epstein-Barr virus since March whilst Steve Cummings has been recovering from a nasty crash earlier in the year... Both riders though will be taking part in the British Road Championships this Weekend which is being held on the Isle of Man so be great to see the Manx Missile earning his second National Title on home turf.

Anyone planning on heading to mainland Europe for any of the Stages this early?

Who's your money on? - Another Froome victory is it finally Nairo Quintana's turn or could we see a new winner like Richie Porte (who came second at the Dauphine) even Tom Dumoulin (winner of the Giro this year)
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Comments

  • stonemusestonemuse
    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    And Cavendish to equal / break the number of Tour Stages or will his illness have stolen the year from him?
  • stonemusestonemuse
    edited June 2017
    ForeverAddickted said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    And Cavendish to equal / break the number of Tour Stages or will his illness have stolen the year from him?
    I hope so but don't see how even he can recover so quickly after so much inaction. Really hope I'm wrong.
  • eaststandmikeeaststandmike
    stonemuse said:

    ForeverAddickted said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    And Cavendish to equal / break the number of Tour Stages or will his illness have stolen the year from him?
    I hope so but don't see how even if he can recover so quickly after so much inaction. Really hope I'm wrong.
    This, that was one hell of a lay off, he will need to firing on all cylinders and some if he wants to break records.
  • olsterolster
    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
  • stonemusestonemuse
    edited June 2017
    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.

    Just checked, think you are right.
  • olsterolster
    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-will-lead-the-line-for-sunweb-at-tour-de-france/
  • stonemusestonemuse
    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-will-lead-the-line-for-sunweb-at-tour-de-france/
    Thanks. He could definitely be a contender for the Vuelta.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-will-lead-the-line-for-sunweb-at-tour-de-france/
    Doesnt surprise me in a way...

    Even the best (Froome | Quintana) have failed to do well at two Grand Tours in a single year so whats the point of going for both Giro and Tour when they're so close together
  • NornIrishAddickNornIrishAddick
    I'd love Bardet to win, but almost every young French rising star struggles to improve their position year on year.

    Can't warm to Froome like I do to Cavendish, Thomas and Cummings.

    I haven't looked at the route properly, but Dan Martin might not be a million miles away from a podium place.
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  • stonemusestonemuse
    NornIrishAddick said:

    I'd love Bardet to win, but almost every young French rising star struggles to improve their position year on year.

    Can't warm to Froome like I do to Cavendish, Thomas and Cummings.

    I haven't looked at the route properly, but Dan Martin might not be a million miles away from a podium place.

    Could be a good call. He's been looking strong.
  • olsterolster
    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-will-lead-the-line-for-sunweb-at-tour-de-france/
    Thanks. He could definitely be a contender for the Vuelta.
    And he has unfinished history with the Vuelta.

    I love the Tour but it's going to have to be bloody amazing to come close to how good the giro was.

    For the good of the sport I hope Froome doesn't win it, but sky have such a strong experienced team they'll be v hard to beat.
  • stonemusestonemuse
    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    olster said:

    stonemuse said:

    Froome's form not the greatest but you can't rule him out.

    Not sure Quintana can do it after the Giro but again you can't rule him out.

    Dumoulin may give it a good go and I think Porte may be a good bet if he can stay injury free for the duration.

    I suspect both Adam Yates and Bardet will be well up there and Contador pushing everyone.

    Thomas and Fuglsang have a chance of podium places.

    I'm going for a Porte win but hope Froome does it.

    Dumoulin's not racing?
    I thought he changed his mind and was going for it.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/matthews-will-lead-the-line-for-sunweb-at-tour-de-france/
    Thanks. He could definitely be a contender for the Vuelta.
    And he has unfinished history with the Vuelta.

    I love the Tour but it's going to have to be bloody amazing to come close to how good the giro was.

    For the good of the sport I hope Froome doesn't win it, but sky have such a strong experienced team they'll be v hard to beat.
    I also love the Tour but must say I enjoy the Vuelta just as much these days, particularly after the event last year.
  • olsterolster
    Sat on a mountainside a few years ago to watch the stage into Cauterets, we on the hill so we could see the riders coming up these hairpins. One of the best sporting experiences i've ever had, all day boozing in the sun, great atmosphere building up all day. Loved it - if you're ever thinking about going then it's highly, highly recommended (and to go somewhere where you'll actually see them for more than 2 seconds).

    image
  • Leroy AmbroseLeroy Ambrose
    edited June 2017
    For Froome, I think a lot depends in the fitness of Poels. If he's near top form, Froome is favourite for me, even considering he's not had as agood a build up as usual. Porte is mentally fragile, but no doubt he's the better rider of the two of them at present - BMC, however, don't have half the number of decent domestiques Sky do

    Regarding Cav, what might help him is the number of pan flat sprint stages in the first week. If he can ride himself into form, then he has a good chance. Be an idea of where he is at the nationals this week. I'm racing myself this weekend or I would have gone - it's in the IOM, just over the water from me
  • ArsenetattersArsenetatters
    I wonder if Froome will repeat his peddling whilst going downhill from a very low, dodgey looking position.
  • RothkoRothko
    Sky team looks very strong, so Froome is well protected, and I can't see beyond him. only 36km of Time trials, so might be a bit closer time wise as he won't be able to put minutes into people there.
  • sillav nitramsillav nitram
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLTNz53DpRs
  • olsterolster
    Stevooooo winning the TT last night. Great ride!
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  • olsterolster
    Arsenetatters said:

    I wonder if Froome will repeat his peddling whilst going downhill from a very low, dodgey looking position.

    His bike handling has improved massively over the last few years. Sure we'll see it this year too.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    olster said:

    Stevooooo winning the TT last night. Great ride!

    Guess that confirms his place in the TdF then as must confirm he's fit
  • olsterolster
    edited June 2017
    ForeverAddickted said:

    olster said:

    Stevooooo winning the TT last night. Great ride!

    Guess that confirms his place in the TdF then as must confirm he's fit
    And with it a stage win.

    Dimension Data going to have two TT national champions in their squad.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    Cummings then goes on to win the main Men's Race so that'll no doubt confirm his spot!!

    Cav on the other hand failed to finish having been black flagged 14km from the finish - At the moment I'm not sure whether he'll be called up, yes he COULD get a few stage wins early on in the Tour but will he survive the mountains, he struggles with them when 100% fit as it is already
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    Yup... Mark Cavendish is confirmed as part of the Team Dimension Data squad along with Mark Renshaw and Bernie Eisel: http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/21684/10927861/mark-cavendish-confirmed-for-tour-de-france-dimension-data-squad

    6-Sprint Stages in the opening twelve days and we could finally see the Merkx record broken.

    @ForeverAddickted is a happy man ahead of the opening Stage next Saturday!!
  • stonemusestonemuse
    ForeverAddickted said:

    Yup... Mark Cavendish is confirmed as part of the Team Dimension Data squad along with Mark Renshaw and Bernie Eisel: http://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/21684/10927861/mark-cavendish-confirmed-for-tour-de-france-dimension-data-squad

    6-Sprint Stages in the opening twelve days and we could finally see the Merkx record broken.

    @ForeverAddickted is a happy man ahead of the opening Stage next Saturday!!

    Great news.
  • StigStig
    I see that Stage 2 finishes in Liege, just 25miles from Chez Deux Shats. Possible opportunity to embarrass him if anyone is out that way.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    Stage 1 starts today in Dusseldorf with one of two Time Trials so this already will be a good chance for Froome to open up some time on his rivals

    Start Times (English Time) for following:
    Chris Froome - 5.32pm
    Nairo Quintana - 5.30pm
    Alberto Contador - 5.29pm
    Tony Martin - 5.20pm
    Richie Porte - 5.06pm
    Geraint Thomas - 4.48pm

    Course itself is pretty basic so you'd expect someone like der PanzerWagen (Tony Martin) to win

    image
  • stonemusestonemuse
    New branding from Sky today I believe.

    Moved from the menacing black to the purity of white :wink:
  • stonemusestonemuse
    Hopefully Froome will get this although it would be nice if Tony Martin could get a win here.
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